Tuning arrangement for storable station selection in television receivers

ABSTRACT

A tuning arrangement for television receivers including a support, a rotary selector having predetermined fixed positions into which said selector may be set mounted on said support, a first tuning button having a beveled gear at one end thereof mounted on said selector, a plurality of stationary potentiometers mounted concentrically with said selector, one being opposite each of said fixed positions and each having a gear associated therewith for engagement with, and adjustment by said button, said button being movable into and out of engagement with the potentiometers, and a second tuning button, having a screwdriver end, mounted on said support, a plurality of rotatable cams controlling the position of a range selector switch, said cams mounted concentrically with said selector, one being opposite each of said fixed positions and being associated with one of said stationary potentiometers, and each having slot means associated therewith for engagement with, and adjustment by said second button, said second button being movable into and out of engagement with said cams.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Helrnut Roll Nurnberg, Germany 211 App]. No.. 813,454

[22] Filed Apr. 4, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 24, 1971 73] Assignee International Standard Electric Corporation New York, N.Y.

[32] Priority May 4, 1968 [33] Germany [31] P l766325.l-35

[54] TUNING ARRANGEMENT FOR STORABLE STATION SELECTION IN TELEVISION [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,934,964 5/1960 Parsons 3,433,081 3/1969 Monaco 3,438,273 4/1969 Schwartz ABSTRACT: A tuning arrangement for television receivers including a support, a rotary selector having predetermined fixed positions into which said selector may be set mounted on said support, a first tuning button having a beveled gear at one end thereof mounted on said selector, a plurality of stationary potentiometers mounted concentrically with said selector, one being opposite each of said fixed positions and each having a gear associated therewith for engagement with, and adjustment by said button, said button being movable into and out of engagement with the potentiometers, and a second tuning button, having a screwdriver end, mounted on said support, a plurality of rotatable cams controlling the position of a range selector switch, said cams mounted concentrically with said selector, one being opposite each of said fixed positions and being associated with one of said stationary potentiometers, and each having slot means associated therewith for engagement with, and adjustment by said second button, said second button being movable into and out of engagement with said cams.

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INVENTOR HELMUT ROLF TUNING ARRANGEMENT FOR STORABLE STATION SELECTION IN TELEVISION RECEIVERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tuning arrangement for effecting the storable selection of stations or transmitters in television receivers, in which an associated tuning means, by actuating rotary selector provided with engaging positions, is capable of being moved into a position corresponding to the respective tuning.

In US. Pat. application Ser. No. 782,576, filed Dec. 10, 1968, for U. Armonier, N. Aberger and H. Rolf, entitled Tuning Arrangement for Storable Station Selection in Television Receivers, ans assigned to the assignee of the present invention, it has already been proposed with respect to such a type of tuning arrangement, that the tuning means be arranged concentrically in relation to the axis of rotation of the rotary selector, i.e., in an angular division corresponding to the engaging positions, and be capable of being readjusted by a tuning element which is common to all tuningi means and which is arranged outside the rotary selector axis and which, together with a rotary selector, is capableof being tumedby the same angular division, and is capable of being coupled to one of the tuning means in each engaging position of the rotary selector. In modifying such a type of tuning arrangement, it has been proposed in the above mentioned US. Pat. application to design several of the tuning means which are arranged concentrically in relation to the rotary selector axis so that they are capable of being tuned through the entire frequency range assigned thereto, whereas to each of the. remaining tuning means there is assigned one fixed channel, so .thatthese tuning means are merely capable of being readjusted within a range of fine tuning. In this respect it may be of advantage to employ as the through-tunable tuning means spindle-type potentiometers, with the spindles thereof extending vertically in relation to the axis of rotation of the rotary selector, with one contact slider each running thereon, and to which there are assigned one resistance lead and at least one section of a contactlead extending concentrically in relation to the rotary selectoraxis. For the purpose of transferring the rotary movement between the tuning element and these Potentiometers, it is of advantage to use roller gearings, in particular bevel gearings, with the driving wheels thereof, upon actuation of the tuning element, capable of being brought into an operational connection with one another.

In this way there is provided a tuning arrangement in which very specific frequency ranges are assigned to the tuning means. Thus, of the existing tuning means, for example, 12 may be provided for VHF channels, and four for UHF channels. In so doing, for example, the four tuning means associated with the UHF channels are respectively capable of being fully tuned through throughout theentire UHF range, whereas within the VHF range one fixed channel is assigned to each of the 12 tuning means, with this channel capable of being adjusted merely within a fine-tuning range.

Of course, it is not necessary to restrict the number of tuning means which are capable of being fully tuned through .to thenumber four, but it is equally possible to arrange also more or less of such tuning means.

According to the earlier proposal, however, it is not possible to assign to the fully through-tunable tuning means one of several frequency ranges, for example, any of the ranges used in television: VHF I, VHF III, or UHF IV/V.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided, in a tuning arrangement for receivers, a rotary selector including means for establishing predetermined fixed positions into which said selector can be set, a first tuning button, first means for mounting said tuning button on said selector, a plurality of stationary adjustabletuning means mounted concentrically with respect to said selector and each located opposite one of said predetermined positions, said mounting means including means for movably mounting said tuning button so as to enable movement of said button into and out of engagement with the stationary tuning means at each said position, a second tuning button, second means for mounting said second tuning button on said selector, and a plurality of rotatable tuning means mounted concentrically with respect to said selector, each located opposite one of said predetermined positions, said second mounting means including means for movably mounting said second tuning button as as to enable movement of said button into and out of engagement with the rotatable tuning means at each said position.

In one advantageous further embodiment of the invention the control cams are capable of being readjusted by a setting or readjusting member in the shape of a screwdriver and seated outside the rotary selector, with this member, preferably, being built into a rotary control button. From this there results a particularly easy operability with respect to the wave range switching, because owing to this there can be omitted any special mechanical auxiliary means, such as screwdrivers, or the like.

According to a further feature of the invention the control cams are turningly and engagingly supported in a rotating disk which is preferably joined to the shaft end of the rotary selector. In this way the investment in constructional means is kept particularly low, especially since care is taken that, for the purpose of effecting the rotation of the rotary selector, neither the tuning means nor their actuating members need be brought out of the path of the control cams.

It is of a particular advantage if, in further embodying the invention, each control cam is designed to have the shape of a regular geometrical structure corresponding to the number of frequency ranges desired, with this geometrical structure, outside its axis of rotation, comprising a coupling element capable of being brought into an operational connection with the wave-range-switching means. By designing the control cams in this way, the latter are provided in a simple manner with a number of equally distributed edges corresponding to the number of frequency ranges and acting as engaging positions or points. In so doing it is of advantage if, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the control cam is resiliently supported in a bearing bushing of the rotating disk provided with longitudinal slots. Thus it is achieved that, when turning the control cam, the longitudinal edges thereof will run under the action of springs on the inside walls of the corresponding bearing bushing, respectively engaging the corners thereof.

In further embodying the invention, the coupling member of the control cam cooperates with the slider of a wave-rangeswitching means designed as a sliding switch. Accordingly, when turning the control cam, the coupling member arranged outside the axis of rotation thereof, will come to lie at a different spacing from a stationary point of the sliding switch so that the slider which is capable of being coupled to the coupling member, will assume different switching positions. In the course of this it is of advantage to design the coupling member to have the shape of a Wobbler arranged within the .range of one longitudinal edge of the cam and extending outwardly, preferably in direction of the axis of rotation, with this coupling member capable of being brought into a limiting stop position with the slider. From this there results the advantage of a particularly simple coupling joint between the control cam and the wave-range-switcliing means.

The invention will now be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a top view of a tuning arrangement according to the invention,

FIG. 2shows a section taken on line I-l of FIG. I, extendingthrough this tuning arrangement with the viewing window removed,

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the tuning arrangement according to FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows a section taken on line II-II, extending through the tuning arrangement according to FIG. 1 with the viewing window removed,

FIG. 5 shows the tuning arrangement according to FIG. 4 in a cross-sectional view in a section taken on line III-III, extending closely below the cover plate, FIGS. 6 and 7 each show one detail of the arrangement according to FIG. 3 and FIG. 2 respectively, and

FIGS. 8 and 9 each show one detail of the arrangement according to FIG. 7 in different views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown the tuning arrangement itself, which consists of the rotary selector 1 by which the tuning means 2, shown in FIG. 5, which are arranged at equally spaced distances on a concentric circle, as well as the potentiometers and the transmitters associated therewith, can be switched on automatically. The main part of the rotary selector 1 is constituted by the rotary knob 3 comprising a tuning element 4 provided in common to all tuning means 2, and arranged within an outer range of the rotary knob, with the aid of which, by depressing and turning, it is possible to adjust the desired assignment of a transmitter or station to one of the tuning means.

In distinction to the arrangement according to the abovementioned U.S. Pat. application, it is possible to assign to the tuning means 2, one of several frequency ranges. In so doing, the six tuning means 2 as shown in FIG. 5 are each capable of being tuned throughout the entire selected frequency range. Of course, it is not necessary to restrict the number of these tuning means to six, but it is equally possible to arrange either more or less such tuning means. The major part of the waverange-switching arrangement is constituted by the rotary motion control cams 5, illustrated in FIG. 3 arranged concentrically in relation to the axis of rotation of the rotary selector 1. These control cams 5 are seated at the same angular spaced relations as the tuning means 2, on a circle whose radius corresponds to the spacing constituted by the axis of rotation of the rotary button 3 and of a screwdriverlike adjusting member 6 shown in FIG. 2 which is part of a rotary button 7. In this way it is possible to readjust the control cams'5 with the readjusting member 6 which is provided in common to all control cams, as soon as one control cam comes to lie perpendicularly below the adjusting or setting member. Upon depressing and turning the rotary button 7 incorporating the adjusting or setting member 6, the rotary motion thereof is thus transferred to the corresponding control cam, thus causing the adjustment of the desired frequency range.

To this end each control cam 5 is pivoted about an angular division corresponding to the number of frequency ranges, in a rotating disk 9, shown in FIG, 3, in particular consisting of a plastic material, which is joined to the shaft end 8, shown in FIG. 2, of the rotary selector 1. The number of engaging positions of the control cam 5 which, in the example shown in FIG.

3, is assumed to consist of four, actually corresponds to the number of the desired frequency ranges. In this particular example however, for reasons as will be understood from the following, two oppositely arranged engaging points of one control cam 5 have the same effects with respect to the function of the wave range switching, so that only three different frequency ranges are actually available. The control cam 5 as shown in FIG. 3 is resiliently supported in a bearing bushing 11 of cross section, provided with longitudinal slots 10. This bearing bushing is appropriately injection molded to the rotating disk 9. The control cam 5, on its side facing the adjusting member 6, is provided with a transverse slot 12, shown in FIG, 2, which is engaged by the screwdriver like portion of the adjusting member 6 when turning the depressing the rotary button 7. Moreover, within the range of its longitudinal edges, the control cam 5 is provided with a Wobbler 13, shown in FIG. 3, extending outwardly in direction towards the axis of rotation, with this Wobbler 13, upon the turning of the rotary selector 1, capable of being brought into an operational connection with a sliding switch 14, shown in FIG. 2, stationarily arranged outside the rotary selector, for effecting the wave range switching.

To this end the Wobbler 13 of the control cam 5 in the tuning position of the associated. tuning means 2 thrusts against it is possible to assign to each tuning position, i.e., to each position of the tuning element 4, one particular switching position of the sliding switch 14. 7 V

In each switching position of the sliding switch 14 there is effected a switchover of the switching voltages and, .consequently, also a frequency range switching. To this end one or more contact sliders 16, shown in FIG. 2, are mounted to the slider 15, running on sections 17, shown in FIG. 6, of contact leads inserted into the capacitance path of the tuning circuit for switching on or switching over the desired range respectively. These sections of contact leads are appropriately deposited in a board or plate of insulating material 18, shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 which, at the same time, also serves for the holding and guiding of the slider and for holding in position the tuning means 2. The sections of contact leads are deposited, just like the resistance leads 19, shown in FIG. 5, in accordance with known printed circuit techniques. For the holding and the guiding of the slider 15 there are provided spring strips 22 each comprising a pair of contact springs 23,

also shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, bent out of the plane of the spring strip by an angle of about 30.

The tuning arrangement as shown in the copending drawings performs the following functions;

Referring now to FIG. 4, the setting of the rotary selector 1 is effected in a step-by-step manner from one engaging position to the next one. To this end there is provided an engaging mechanism 24, shown in FIG. 5, arresting the rotary button 3 in a position in which the tuning knob 25 of the tuning element 4 comes to lie perpendicularly over a centering pin 26, so that upon depressing the tuning knob, the associated bevel gear or conical wheel 27 can be brought into engagement with the bevel gear 28 of a tuning means 2 designed as a spindle-type potentiometer 29. These spindle-type potentiometers, similar to those illustrated in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. application, are mounted to the board or plate of insulating material 18 on which, concentrically in relation to the rotary button 3 of the rotary selector 1, there are printed two contact leads. By a self-resilient contact slider which is held in position by the rotary button 3, the voltages as tapped or taken off the resistance leads 19, are transferred to these contact leads which are inserted into the circuit of the capacitance (varactor) diode. In the arresting position of the rotary selector 1 the screwdriverlike adjusting member 6 of the rotary button 7 will also come to lie perpendicularly over the transversal slot 12 of a control cam 5, so that when depressing this rotary button, the adjusting member is brought into engagement with the control cam. By actuating the rotary button 7, i.e., upon depressing it into the limiting stop position, and turning it simultaneously, the control cam 5 as coupled thereto can be adjusted to a predetermined frequency range. This setting or adjustment is effected independently of the other settings, so that a once performed range setting of a control cam will always remain stored until there is performed an intended variation by means of the rotary button7. When turning the rotary selector 1 into the same engaging position, there is thus always provided the same frequency range. The tuning of the associates spindle-type potentiometer 29 to a frequency lying within this range is effected by actuating the tuning element 4, i.e., by depressing the tuning knob 25 into the limiting stop position, and by turning it simultaneously. Also this setting is effected independently of the other settings, so that it likewise will remain stored until there is desired a resetting. After each time the desired range setting of a control cam 5 or the assignment of a transmitter or station to the corresponding tuning first means for mounting said tuning element on said selector;

a plurality of stationary adjustable tuning means, each adapted for tuning throughout a selected frequency means 2 has been effected, the actuating button the t i 5 range, mounted concentrically with respect to said selecknob 25 and the rotary button 7, may return t th ir respector and each located opposite one of said predetermined tive normal positions, thus each time separating the opera- POSitiOnS;

tional connection between the actuating means and the said mounting means including means for movably mount" switchover means or tuning means respectively. ing said tuning element so as to enable movement of said For indicating the tuning of the freely selectable transmit- 10 elelflem into and out of q i f with the Stationary ters or stations within one frequency range it is possible to protunmg f f at each of 531d Posmons;

ilvide pointer-type dials, with the driving mechanism thereof Second tunmg elemem .Z coupled to the drive of the spindle type potentiometer second means for mounting said second tuning element on 29. The indication of the adjusted or set frequency range is ef- Said silppon means; fected via the slider to which there may be fixed a trans- 15 a pluramy rotatable mmng each assoclatfed parent plate (label) with the channel numbers printed thereof, one of Said Stationary filming m for vaf'ymg the so that when switching over the frequency ranges, the channel :i-equency rang? g g": g z g s i g?- numbers associated with the respective range will appear in lonary meailsdls a a ne f? g i e the viewing windows 30 on the front panel 31, both of which 2:1 22:: r zg z gggzg w zigg p g iis are shown in FIG. 1, just above the pointers of the spindle-type pgsitions; and poteiitlometer said second mounting means including means for movably It is to be considered as a particular advantage of the invenmounting said second tuning element so as to enable i that the tuning arrangement on the whole f movement of said element into and out of engagement simllar to the case of the above'menuoned apphca' with a rotatable tuning means at each of said positions. tion, forms an extremely flat square and is thus in a very 2. Atuning arrangement for receivers, according to claim 1, favorable proportion m the available building space or wherein each of said rotatable tuning means includes a control volume. Another advantage resides in the fact that there cancam having a Slot formed therein and wherein Said Second tum not be effected an accidental readjustment of already tuned ing element includes a screwdriver means at one end thereof stations or transmitters, because after the setting of the range 30 f engaging and controllin said cam or the tuning of the associated potentiometer, the actuating .A tuning arrangement or receivers, according to claim 2, means are decoupled. Moreover, it is of advantage that the further includingashaft connected to said rotary selector; and number of the freely selectable stations or transmitters just a rotatable disc coupled'to Said Shaft; each of Said Cams like the number of frequency range can be enl ed or being connected to said rotatable disc and adapted to reduced at any time without requiring any particular construcrotate Within Said disc into predetermined fixed Positionstional alteration. A further advantage results from the particu- A tuning arrangement for receivers, according to Claim 3, larly easy operability of the tuning arrangement owing to the further including range-Switching means; f f use of merely two rotary buttons and one tuning knob for all a coupling member controlling the PP of Said f g stations or transmincm switching means in accordance with the orientation of 1 claim: 40 said a I l. A tuning arrangement for receivers comprising:

tuning arrangemenf for f F clalm f a rotary selector including means for establishing predeterwherefn rangefsvfltchmg w a shcimg swltdf q f mined fi d positions into which Said Selector can be Set; coupling member is in contact with the slider of said sliding support means for mounting said rotary selector; Swltch' a first tuning element; 4 

1. A tuning arrangement for receivers comprising: a rotary selector including means for establishing predetermined fixed positions into which said selector can be set; support means for mounting said rotary selector; a first tuning element; first means for mounting said tuning element on said selector; a plurality of stationary adjustable tuning means, each adapted for tuning throughout a selected frequency range, mounted concentrically with respect to said selector and each located opposite one of said predetermined positions; said mounting means including means for movably mounting said tuning element so as to enable movement of said element into and out of engagement with the stationary tuning means at each of said positions; a second tuning element; second means for mounting said second tuning element on said support means; a plurality of rotatable tuning means, each associated with one of said stationary tuning means, for varying the frequency range throughout which said associated stationary means is adapted to be tuned, said rotatable means mounted concentrically with respect to said selector and each located opposite one of said predetermined positions; and said second mounting means including means for movably mounting said second tuning element so as to enable movement of said element into and out of engagement with a rotatable tuning means at each of said positions.
 2. A tuning arrangement for receivers, according to claim 1, wherein each of said rotatable tuning means includes a control cam having a slot formed therein and wherein said second tuning element includes a screwdriver means at one end thereof for engaging and controlling said cam.
 3. A tuning arrangement for receivers, according to claim 2, further including a shaft connected to said rotary selector; and a rotatable disc coupled to said shaft; each of said cams being connected to said rotatable disc and adapted to rotate within said disc into predetermined fixed positions.
 4. A tuning arrangement for receivers, according to claim 3, further including range-switching means; and a coupling member controlling the position of said range-switching means in accordance with the orientation of said cam.
 5. A tuning arrangement for receivers, according to claim 4, wherein said range-switching means is a sliding switch and said coupling member is in contact with the slider of said sliding switch. 